Thai exports suffer worst drop in 4 yrs

BANGKOK: Thai exports fell by nearly 9 percent in January, their worst drop in more than four year as economic woes continue to pile up on the kingdom’s military rulers, government figures released Thursday showed.

Once one of Southeast Asia’s most vibrant and successful economies, Thailand has struggled with lacklustre growth fuelled by more than a decade of political instability and slowing demand for its exports.

The economy grew by just 2.8 percent last year, one of the region’s slowest rates, in a blow to the kingdom’s junta government, which vowed to kickstart trading following its 2014 coup.

The country’s continued export slump, compounded by the slowdown in key trading partner China, is one of a number of ailments derailing that pledge.

Ministry of Commerce figures showed exports fell by 8.91 percent year-on-year to $15.7 billion in January, the worst drop since November 2011 and the 14th consecutive month of decline.

Imports were also down 12.37 percent to $15.5 billion.

Thailand’s exports have been declining for much of the last three years.

Former army chief turned prime minister General Prayut Chan-O-Cha has vowed to turn the economy round but his government’s policies, which include ramped up public spending, have so far borne little fruit.

Military control, which has been accompanied by a dramatic increase in rights abuses, also appears to have put off overseas interest, with applications for foreign direct investment slumping 78 percent in the first 11 months of 2015.

Domestically, the economy is also beset by high household debt and low consumer confidence.

The ministry figures showed modest export growth in Thailand’s important auto-parts industry and a significant increase in rice sales for January.